A couple of Devil-related goaltending stories to pass on:
-Yesterday New Jersey confirmed the signing of goaltender Maxime Clermont to an entry level contract. He was drafted by the Devils in the 6th round in 2010, and is coming off a good season with the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques. He went 28-10-5 with a 2.55 GAA in 48 games, then won an additional 11 games and posted a 2.22 GAA in an extended playoff run that saw the Olympiques fall to Saint John in the QMJHL finals. He has one year left of eligibility as an overage player in Gatineau (he will turn 20 on New Year’s Eve), so the team has the option of either returning him there or starting out in the ECHL, essentially being the 5th goalie on the Devils depth chart. Considering recent history with both Martin Brodeur and Jeff Frazee missing extended periods due to injury, we may very well see Clermont in an Albany uniform at some point this season.
-Goalie #4 on the depth chart, rookie Keith Kinkaid, answered a few fan questions on the Albany site’s mostly weekly social media feature.
And finally…per the AHL’s Twitter, looks like next week for a schedule release. With Opening Night in 8 weeks, I’m ready to start my planning…
Thoughts Inside The Box 